everybody is a star
by thefullmetalAlchemistcayla
Summary: After the loss of Amy and Rory the Doctor visits a coffee shop in 1972 to get away for a bit only to meet a nine year old Tony stark, soon befriending him, he learns the hard way, you can't save everyone.


**AN: I am using the Publication date of Iron Man's first appearance as a stand in for his birthday. No flammers. **

He waved goodbye to River, closing the door as she left. The sound of the door closing seemed so loud in the deafening silence of the TARDIS. He knows all too well how loud silence can be. He turned, looking to the engine console, walking to it, speaking more to himself then the console. "Just you and me old girl..." He felt numb. He's lost Amy and Rory to those damned angels and he knew he couldn't keep River locked up. She was a wild horse that needed to run. He didn't even feel like crying. He needed a coffee. He set the date on the console. They always had the best coffee back in the 1960s or past. Before all the flavors and shots entered in. pure coffee.

He watched the large crystal go up and down, making the familiar whooshing noise. Least that was one thing that would never change. That thought brought the smallest of smiles to his face. Once landed, he fixed his bow tie and considered putting on his fez. With a shake of his head he left the TARDIS. He was parked in a middle of Central park but no one seemed to care nor notice. He knew it was early 1970's. Going by the clothing. It wasn't quite the 70's everyone knew but not quite 60's. Somewhere in between. He put his hands in his pockets and started walking to the stores and shops.

He got his coffee from the smallest of coffee shops but dear lord it was amazing coffee. He was just reading the newspaper, glasses over his eyes when he heard a small voice. A boy. "Coffee. Black please." He turned to look. That voice sounded too young for coffee. He was right. The boy was no more than nine years old, dark, thick mop of hair. Large, dark eyes and just a hint of freckles. The doctor spoke. "Arnt you a little young for coffee?" The boy looked at him with an almost glare. "arnt you a little old for bow ties?" The doctor grinned. "Whats your name?" "None of your business." The boy turned away, getting his cup of coffee,paying and leaving quickly. The doctor shook his head with a smile. He liked that kid. He was smart. He sighed, knowing he'd never see him again, sipping his coffee.

It was hours after he left the coffee shop he was walking back to the TARDIS when he heard a commotion. He stared at the TARDIS,almost as if it was peaking to him. Perhaps it was as he answered. "No. it's not my problem. It's not. I'm getting in now and I'm going to leave." He kept hearing the commotion which sounded like someone being beaten. When he heard the crying of a child thats when he perked up like a dog and went inside the TARDIS quickly.

There was a group of teenage boys, kicking and yelling and cheering on as the lot of them beat the mound of person in the middle who was huddled on the ground, trying in vain to protect himself but it didn't stop the cries of pain escaping him with each kick. He knew a rib was cracked and the pain only grew. Suddenly there was a high pitched sound, so high pitched he had to cover his ears.

He had no idea what was going on or if the bullies were gone. His eyes closed tightly. He heard running and talking. "Lets get out of here!" Then after a few moments the sound was gone but he remained on the ground, trembling and crying quietly. He jumped when he felt a hand on his head, going into a defensive posture, best he could fists held high. The doctor stepped back. "Whoa there son, I'm not going to hurt you." The doctor paused. "Coffee boy. Your the boy from the coffee shop." The boy relaxed, softly glaring, sniffling. He smelled blood. He knew he nose must be bleeding."So what if I am?" He started to get up but winced with the movement, sitting back down.

The doctor helped him. "Here. Hold on to me." The boy grumbled. "Idon't need help. I can get up by myself." But he made no struggle out of his hold. His small arm around his waist. The doctor smiled."Oh I'm quite sure you can. Thank you for humoring me." The boy smiled weakly. "No problem." Once he was stood up, he helped him to a bench. Sitting him down. "Now lets have a look at those injures." "Two broken ribs, broken nose, plenty of bruises and busted eye." The doctor looked surprised down at him. The boy looked up and it broke the doctors heart. He knows that look. "I'm used to it." The doctor paused a moment. "Whats your name?" The boy looked down. "Anthony but I don't like being called that." The doctor smiled. "Ok, what would you, coffee boy, like to be called?" The boy paused a moment. "Tony. Tony Stark." The boy held out his hand to the doctor, looking up with large brown eyes. The doctor smiled, shaking his hand. "it's nice to meet you Tony, I'm the doctor. Do you always get beaten up or is tonight just special?" Tony let out a bitterly amused sound, looking to the ground. "Always. They just can't keep there hands off me." The doctor let out an amused sound of his own.

"Those boys that were beating you. Who are they?" Tony shrugged. The doctor patted his back, helping him up. "Com'on, lets get you home." "No!" The doctor stopped once they stood up, looking surprised at him. "Tony? Whats wrong? Why don't you want to go home? You should always want to go home." Tony shook his head, looking up at the doctor, ignoring the pain in his ribs. "I just don't. Can't we just hang out, please?" "Won't your parents be worried? It's dark out, has to be at least 7o'clock." Tony shook his head. "nN. they won't, they don't care if I'm out." Tony put on a smile. "There cool like that. Now can we go hang out?" The doctor sighed."Yes we can hang out. Now com'on." He helped Tony to the TARDIS, getting to the blue box. Tony looked up at it with a raised eyebrow. "You live in a box?" The doctor smiled. "Oh I do more then live in it." He snapped his fingers, the doors opening up, the orangelight flooding out. Tony's eyes went wide, looking up at the doctor then at the large room.

It was beautiful. Colors and swirls everywhere. Blinking lights and buttons for god knows what and Tony wanted to pick apart every bit and find out what makes it work. "What?...what is this?" The doctor grinned, helping him in. "This is the TARDIS. Time and relative dimension in space and I'm sure if you were able to you'd be running around like a loony trying to figure out, why it's bigger on the inside but first lets get you healed up and ready for project "hang out." Tony smiled as the doctor helped him to a nearby couch. "Project hang out?" The Doctor went around the console, throwing random things about. "Yes, that's what you wanted to do. Hang out. Your too scared to go home but I refuse to leave you out on the street, leave a child out on the street, injured, please. There's a reason they call me "The Doctor." Ah ha! Got it!" The doctor grinned, pulling out the large, first aid kit. Tony giggled before wincing. "You talk a lot." The doctor pointed. "You don't talk enough."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Please, all my dad does is tell me to stop talking." The doctor smiled, sitting next to him. "Tell me about your dad." Tony winced as the doctor started to wipe the blood away from his nose and swollen face. "I'd rater not-Ow!" Tony winced, grabbing his nose. Now fixed.

The doctor smiled. "There! All fixed! Couldn't let that pretty face get disfigured. Now, you were saying about your dad." The Doctor went back to helping him, running his sonic up and down him, scanning him. Tony sighed. "Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted." He shot a glare to the doctor. "I don't want to talk about him." "Why?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean why? I don't want to talk about him. Change the subject." The doctor nodded. "I know that feeling quite, quite well. Tell me about you. What do you, Tony stark, like to do?" Tony smiled weakly, shrugging. "Just...I like science. No, I love it. I love being in my lab and tinkering." "Oh you have a lab?" Tony nodded. "Yeah, at home. It's the only thing I like about home. What about you? Where are you from?" The doctor smiled, wiping more blood away from his head., looking for a head wound. "Somewhere far away and I don't like talking about it." Tony smiled weakly "Seems we have something in common." "Oh no dear Tony Stark, were far from common. You have a home wither you like it or not. This box is my home. My home home is...gone." The doctor looked down. He didn't like thinking about it.

Tony frowned softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." The doctor smiled sadly. "Oh of corse you did. It's curiosity. Now what would you like to do?" Tony shrugged then raised an eyebrow, feeling his ribs. "My ribs, there fixed. How did you do that?" The doctor grinned, putting his sonic away. " Just a little magic stick. Now where would you like to go?" Tony smiled. "What do you mean?" The doctor got up, going around the console. "anywhere, anytime, you pick and we'll go hang out." Tony smiled going over to him, inspecting the colorful console. "I still have no idea what your talking about." The doctor smiled, patting the large crystal of the engine. "Simply, with a pause. It's a time machine." "What? A real time machine? Think we could visit Einstein?" The Doctor put in the number. "Of corse lad. You can meet anyone you want. This is your day." Tony watched in amazement as the crystal went up and down, glowing green and making such a strange yet pleasant sound.

**AN: first chapter done! Please let me know what you think :)  
No flammers!**


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